The Southern Vectis Unofficial Bus Enthusiasts' Website
Bristol K/Hants & Dorset (1944/1947)
 
Technical & History Briefing
Chassis: Bristol K5G Body: Hants & Dorset
Registration
Mark		 Fleet
No.		 Type Chassis
Number		 Body
Number		 Date
New		 Current Livery or
Date Withdrawn
Other Owners
FRU303
Scrapped		 [909] FO31/28R
previously
L27/28R		 W1011 n/a 10/1944 06/1973
10/1944: Hants & Dorset [TD772] - renumbered [1106] 01/1950
11/1964: Southern Vectis [909]
07/1973: North, Sherburn-in-Elmet (dealer)
07/1973: Omnibus Promotions, London (dealer)
09/1973: Tom Troxall, Coopersburgh, Pennsylvania, USA - scrapped 05/1988
FRU304
Scrapped		 [910] FO31/28R
previously
L27/28R		 W1012 n/a 11/1944 06/1973
11/1944: Hants & Dorset [TD773] - renumbered [1107] 01/1950
11/1964: Southern Vectis [910]
07/1973: North, Sherburn-in-Elmet (dealer)
07/1973: Omnibus Promotions, London (dealer)
09/1973: Tom Troxall, Coopersburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
around 1980: unknown owner, Pennsylvania, USA
GLJ969
Preserved		 [911] FO31/28R
previously
L28/27R8		 64061 n/a
previously
ECW 1681 (series 2)		 10/1947 06/1973
10/1947: Hants & Dorset [TD792] - renumbered [1126] 01/1950
11/1964: Southern Vectis [911]
07/1973: North, Sherburn-in-Elmet (dealer)
07/1973: Omnibus Promotions, London (dealer)
09/1973: Tom Troxall, Coopersburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
around 1980: unknown owner, Pennsylvania, USA
 
Detailed History
Three Bristol K open-top buses with Hants & Dorset bodywork and five-cylinder Gardner 5LW diesel engines were acquired second-hand from Hants & Dorset in 1964 by Southern Vectis.

FRU303 & FRU304 were new to Hants & Dorset in October 1944 & November 1944 and were numbered [TD772] & [TD773] respectively.
GLJ969 was new to Hants & Dorset in October 1947 and was numbered [TD792].
In January 1950 Hants & Dorset renumbered FRU303 [TD772] / FRU304 [TD773] & GLJ969 [TD792] to [1106] / [1107] & [1126] respectively.
In February 1950 FRU303 [1106] had the original six-cylinder AEC engine replaced with a Gardner 5LW engine.
In April 1951 FRU304 [1107] had the original six-cylinder AEC engine replaced with a five-cylinder Gardner 5LW engine.
In May 1952 FRU303 [1106] & FRU304 [1107] had the original Strachans L27/28R bodies replaced and rebuilt to FO31/28R with six-bay Hants & Dorset full-frontal open-top bodywork with two-aperture type "D" destination screens at the front and three-aperture type "F" destination screens at the rear.
In November 1957 GLJ969 [1126] had the original ECW L28/27R8 body exchanged with that of BTR309 [1019], which had been rebuilt to FO31/28R with five-bay Hants & Dorset full-frontal open-top bodywork with two-aperture type "D" destination screens at the front and three-aperture type "F" destination screens at the rear in May 1953.

In November 1964 FRU303 / FRU304 & GLJ969 were acquired by Southern Vectis being numbered [909] / [910] & [911] respectively.

For the summer season of 1965 all three entered service in Tilling Cream & Green livery normally operating on the Sandown Zoo - Ventnor service 47 route.

During 1970-1971 FRU303 [909] / FRU304 [910] & GLJ969 [911] were fitted with flashing trafficators.

In June 1973 all three of FRU303 [909] / FRU304 [910] & GLJ969 [911] were withdrawn from service.

Subsequent History

FRU303 [909]:

  • In July 1973 it was sold to North of Sherburn (dealer).
  • Also in July 1973 it was resold to Omnibus Promotions of London (dealer).
  • In September 1973 it was exported to Tom Troxall of Coopersburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
    In May 1988, still with Tom Troxall, it fell apart and was subsequently scrapped.

FRU304 [910]:

  • In July 1973 it was sold to North of Sherburn (dealer).
  • Also in July 1973 it was resold to Omnibus Promotions of London (dealer).
  • In September 1973 it was exported to Tom Troxall of Coopersburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
  • Around 1980 it was sold to an unknown owner in Pennsylvania, USA.
  • It was subsequently scrapped.

GLJ969 [911]:

  • In July 1973 it was sold to North of Sherburn (dealer).
  • Also in July 1973 it was resold to Omnibus Promotions of London (dealer).
  • In September 1973 it was exported to Tom Troxall of Coopersburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
  • Around 1980 it was sold to an unknown owner in Pennsylvania, USA. It was last observed operating during 1992.
 
Photo Selection
An offside-front view of FRU303 [909] in Tilling Cream & Green livery ascending Leeson Road, Upper Bonchurch, on 3 September 1972.
[photo copyright of Peter J. Relf]

Colour prints may be available to buy - please e-mail Peter J. Relf for details
 
An offside-front view of GLJ969 [911] in Tilling Cream & Green livery at Sandown Zoo on 24 August 1972.
[photo copyright of Peter J. Relf]

Colour prints may be available to buy - please e-mail Peter J. Relf for details
 
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